Scottish Executive

Arts

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what conditions will apply to the release of £1 million for Scottish Opera from the additional resources allocated to the Scottish Arts Council.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Any additional funding for Scottish Opera will be to enable the company to continue to undertake a programme of high quality work throughout Scotland and build on its successful outreach and educational work. Detailed conditions of grant will be a matter for the Scottish Arts Council who will monitor the company’s financial and artistic performance closely.

Arts

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive under what powers the Minister for Environment, Sport and Culture directed the Scottish Arts Council (SAC) to reserve £1 million as a special grant to Scottish Opera from the additional resources given to the SAC.

Mr Sam Galbraith: I made no direction. Following discussions with the Scottish Arts Council, they agreed to earmark an additional £1 million per year for Scottish Opera, subject to consideration of a revised business plan from the company.

Birds

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it gives to local authorities in dealing with nuisance caused by seagulls.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Local authorities have full powers to deal with such problems at their own discretion. Licences are issued by the Scottish Executive to cover situations where the lethal control of seagulls becomes necessary.

Children

Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in encouraging the integration of children’s services.

Mr Jack McConnell: We are today issuing to local authorities, the health service, the voluntary sector and others a consultation paper Changing Children’s Services Fund , a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre. This sets out our proposals for the fund, which will encourage better, more innovative and more integrated services for children. Funding of £4 million will be available in 2001-02 for drug-related projects only, while £33 million will be available in 2002-03 and £44.5 million in 2003-04. Resources are being committed from the education, health and social justice budgets. This reflects the cross-cutting nature of this fund. It will encourage local authorities, the health service, the voluntary sector and others to work together for Scotland’s children.

Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has received about the possible transmission of variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease through contaminated surgical instruments and when it first received such advice.

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact any delays in health Trusts’ acquisition of single-use surgical instruments will have on waiting lists for the surgical removal of tonsils and adenoids.

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any advice concerning the suspension of routine surgery to remove tonsils and adenoids until such a time as all such surgery can be carried out using single-use instruments.

Susan Deacon: The Executive is advised on this matter by the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC), which has stressed the importance of rigorous washing and decontamination in reducing risk. In November 2000, the committee endorsed the concept of a pilot scheme involving tonsillectomy to assess the practicability of using disposable instruments. The move to single use instruments is a precautionary one, and there is no evidence of any cases of vCJD having been caused by surgery.

  The Deputy Chief Medical Officer has advised health boards and NHS Trusts, that, until single use instruments come fully on stream, it will be for clinical judgement to be exercised in each case, balancing the unquantifiable risk there might be from vCJD against any more immediate health concerns that the surgery would be designed to address. The British Association of Otorhinolaryngologists, Head and Neck Surgeons advised their members that, where there are "definite indications for surgery" (e.g. malignancy, significant airway obstruction), the benefit of surgery outweighs the theoretical risk there may be from vCJD.

  If tonsillectomy procedures are postponed, there will be an impact on waiting lists and waiting times for this procedure. But there may be scope for hospitals to bring forward other ear, nose and throat operations to fill the gaps caused by any tonsillectomy postponements.

Dog Identification Working Group

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take in light of the recommendations contained in the report of the Dog Identification Group.

Peter Peacock: Following careful consideration of the recommendations made by the Dog Identification Group we have decided to publish its report in Scotland so that anyone with an interest in dog issues has the opportunity to comment. The report will be published today and copies will be available from the Parliament’s Reference Centre. The Executive Summary of the report will be put on the Scottish Executive website. We will consider all responses carefully before determining the way forward.

Drug Misuse

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage women drug users to access counselling and rehabilitation services.

Iain Gray: Last week I announced a £100 million package on drugs. Within this total, substantial sums will be spent on prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and community education. Services for children and parents in drug misusing families will be one of the priority areas for support from the resources channelled through the Children’s Change Fund.

  Action at local level to encourage women drug users to access counselling and rehabilitation services is for Drug Action Teams.

Drug Misuse

Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what policies it has to help those who are victims of drug misuse and their families.

Iain Gray: The victims of drug misuse can range from individuals who misuse drugs, to their families and the wider community. Earlier this month I announced details of how the Executive’s £100 million package of additional expenditure on drug misuse over the next three years will be targeted.

  We have a priority to develop services targeted at families of people who misuse, as well as to increase the numbers of specialist staff available to provide treatment, care and support for individuals and families. Guidelines are currently being drawn up for local authorities and other agencies which work with drug misusing parents. These guidelines are aimed at minimising the effects on children in such family circumstances.

Education

Mr Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its measures to ensure that this year’s school examination diet is successful are progressing as planned.

Mr Jack McConnell: There are now monthly reports from SQA and monthly meetings of the Ministerial Review Group chaired by the Deputy Minister for Education. Meetings between the Executive and the SQA take place regularly at both ministerial and official level.

  On the basis of information from these sources I made my first report to Parliament on SQA’s progress towards Diet 2001. This was announced in response to question S1W-12934 on 31 January 2001 and has been placed in SPICe (Bib. no. 11055).

Education

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the future of the New Community Schools initiative will be.

Mr Jack McConnell: I hope that the pilot New Community Schools programme will in due course act as a catalyst for wider change. I am presently considering how this will be managed, and I expect to make an announcement soon.

Enterprise

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Executive has to support entrepreneurs.

Henry McLeish: The Executive recognises that we need to support our entrepreneurs. They are crucial to our economic success. We need to raise the rate of new firm formation in Scotland, enhance business survival and improve growth. We must become a country where starting up and running a successful business is an ambition of most and an achievement for many.

  The way forward is set by the publication of A Smart Successful Scotland - the first comprehensive statement by the Executive setting out the direction and priorities for the Enterprise Networks. Encouraging entrepreneurship is one of the strategy’s three key challenges, and we will continue to work with the networks to drive forward improvements in this area.

Enterprise

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints have been made to the external adjudicators of (a) Scottish Enterprise and (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise since the inception of each organisation and how many such complaints have been upheld.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The External Adjudicators for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise took up post on 1 April 1997. Prior to that date there were no external adjudication procedures in place. The number of complaints they have received each year since then is detailed in the tables.

  Scottish Enterprise

  

 

Complaints rec’d 
  

Complaints upheld 
  



1997-98 
  

12 
  

0 
  



1998-99 
  

2 
  

0 
  



1999-2000 
  

2 
  

0 
  



2000-01* 
  

3 
  

1 
  



  Highlands and Islands Enterprise

  

 

Complaints rec’d 
  

Complaints upheld 
  



1997-98 
  

6 
  

1 
  



1998-99 
  

4 
  

0 
  



1999-2000 
  

2 
  

0 
  



2000-01* 
  

4 
  

0 
  



  *Covers the period 01/04/2000 to 05/02/2001.

Environment

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12247 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 24 January 2001, who made the representations referred to; whether it will provide more details of the nature of the representations, and why the Scottish Ministers did not to give the directions requested in the representations.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The representations were made by the manufacturers of emamectin benzoate, who asked the Scottish Ministers to direct the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to determine applications for consents to discharge under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 within four months. The manufacturers also wished the Scottish Ministers to direct the agency to allocate further resources to the consenting regime and to establish and implement an effective regime for determining applications for consents to the discharge of emamectin benzoate.

  The Scottish Ministers declined to give such Directions. Under the 1974 Act the determination of applications for consents to discharge emamectin benzoate is the responsibility of the agency, which is established by statute as a body separate from Government. Bearing in mind their own powers to call in applications, or to consider appeals, the Scottish Ministers did not consider it necessary or appropriate to intervene in the way proposed, in relation to SEPA’s discharge of its functions, for the benefit of a particular commercial interest.

Environment

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether emissions from factories producing medium density fibreboard pose any health risks; whether it is aware of the concern of the local community in Cowie, Stirlingshire, about such emissions from Nexfor on 26 January 2001, and whether it will take any steps to investigate these concerns.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Factories producing medium density fibreboard in Scotland are authorised by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency under Part I of the Environment Protection Act 1990. When issuing an authorisation SEPA must have regard to the emission limits set down in Government Guidance for the Process for the Manufacture of Particleboard and Fibreboard, as well as the health-based air quality objectives in the Air Quality (Scotland) Regulations 2000.

  SEPA monitors the Nexfor plant on a routine basis for emissions of potentially hazardous chemicals and wood dust. It is aware of the concerns of the residents of Cowie regarding a wood fibre emission from the plant on the 26 January 2001. Shortly after the incident was reported to SEPA an investigation was initiated; this is ongoing.

  In response to concerns raised in the past about the Nexfor plant, Forth Valley Health Board has checked the incidence of health problems in the surrounding area. Health statistics indicate that the incidence of asthma in the Cowie area is in keeping with expectations based on the national average figure.

Europe

Mr Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether membership of the European Union has brought any benefit to Scottish businesses.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Scottish businesses obtain significant benefits from the UK’s membership of the EU. The EU is the destination of 63% of Scottish manufacturing exports, with France our most significant overseas trading partner. In the last five years Scotland has attracted £724 million of planned investment from continental Europe. Membership of the EU is considered crucial in attracting inward investment from not only within Europe but also the rest of the world. Scotland received £368 million in Structural Funds in 1994-99, making a significant contribution to Scotland’s economic regeneration.

  The Single European Market provides a stable framework in which Scottish firms can operate. The removal of trade barriers reduces business costs as well as increasing competition, stimulating efficiency and encouraging the creation of jobs and wealth.

Fisheries

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its priorities are in relation to the 2002 review of the Common Fisheries Policy.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive wishes to see the maintenance of key features of the present arrangements, such as national quotas, based on Relative Stability, conservation boxes and access restrictions within national 6/12 mile limits. At the same time, we want to secure improvements to make the CFP a more effective instrument for conserving fish stocks, developing the regional dimension, integrating environmental considerations and reducing discards.

Flood Prevention

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to establish a national strategy for flood prevention.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Executive is responsible for flood prevention policy in Scotland and we have no plans at present to establish a specific national strategy for flood prevention. However, given that the risk of flooding in Scotland is predicted to increase as a consequence of climate change, the need to adapt to this change will be reviewed as part of the Executive’s plans to develop a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy.

Health

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the review of audiology services.

Susan Deacon: The working group detailed in the answer to question S1W-12861 met on Thursday 1 February to consider a number of issues, including the terms of a possible remit for a wide-ranging review of audiology services. Membership of the group is likely to be expanded to reflect a wider range of health interests. We expect to receive its recommendations in due course.

Health

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been a significant rise in the number of patients from the north and north-east of Scotland using the cardiac defibrillator clinic at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether health Trusts have been advised to suspend routine surgery for the removal of adenoids and tonsils.

Susan Deacon: I understand from North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust, which has management responsibility for Glasgow Royal Infirmary, that there has been no notable increase in the number of patients from the north and north-east of Scotland attending the Infirmary’s Defibrillator Clinic.

Health

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to introduce single-use instruments for surgery involving the removal of tonsils and adenoids.

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when all health Trusts will be fully equipped with single-use instruments for the surgical removal of tonsils and adenoids.

Susan Deacon: Work is ongoing with surgeons and manufacturers with a view to introducing single-use instruments as quickly as possible so that doctors and patients/parents no longer have to face the dilemma of whether or not to undertake/undergo this type of surgery.

  The present best advice is that supplies of the new instruments will start to come into use from late spring, but it may be the autumn before sufficient quantities are available to guarantee a continuous supply.

Health

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the administrative costs of local health care co-operatives are, broken down by health board area.

Susan Deacon: A total of £13.5 million, formerly paid as GP Fundholding Management Allowance was redistributed on a weighted capitation basis to support the work of LHCCs in 1999/00. These resources, uplifted for inflation, now form part of health boards’ unified budgets and are not separately identified.

Health

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to investigate the cause of any health inequalities.

Susan Deacon: The Executive believes that identifying and tackling the causes of health inequalities is the key to improving the health of the people of Scotland and an important part of our work for social justice. The policy framework is set out in the White Paper Towards a Healthier Scotland , the first Social Justice Annual Report and Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change. These all recognise that poverty affects life circumstances, lifestyles and experience of health and disease.

  The Executive supports research on health inequalities through project grants and by providing core funding for a programme of work at the Medical Research Council Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at Glasgow University. The aims of the programme are to investigate variations in health and the determinants of health within Scotland, and to identify effective non-health sector interventions for tackling inequalities in health. The Executive has also commissioned independent evaluations of the Starting Well, Healthy Respect and Have a Heart Paisley national health demonstration projects which will help to identify their contribution to tackling inequalities in health.

  The recently established Public Health Institute of Scotland will provide a focus for work to develop the evidence base to support efforts to improve Scotland’s health.

Health

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail its current targeted health programmes and the money allocated to each, broken down by health board area.

Susan Deacon: Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change published on 14 December, provides a clear statement of the Executive’s national priorities for health and NHS Scotland. The Scottish Executive distributes the bulk of the resources to health boards on the basis of a Scotland-wide formula which reflects the health care needs of their local population. It is for NHS bodies locally to decide how best to apply these allocations to meet national and local priorities. The total planned provision for health in 2000-01 is £5.4 billion, of which £4.5 billion has been allocated to health boards for Hospital and Community Health Services revenue purposes. Details of individual revenue allocations made to health boards in the current year are as follows:

  


Health Board 
  

£ million 
  



Argyll & Clyde 
  

375.367 
  



Ayrshire & Arran 
  

321.810 
  



Borders 
  

93.816 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

138.811 
  



Fife 
  

277.702 
  



Forth Valley 
  

229.916 
  



Grampian 
  

425.825 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

858.824 
  



Highland 
  

183.491 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

453.952 
  



Lothian 
  

641.185 
  



Orkney 
  

19.318 
  



Shetland 
  

23.366 
  



Tayside 
  

375.246 
  



Western Isles 
  

35.941 
  



TOTAL 
  

4,454.570 
  



  The remainder of the health budget in the current year will fund the demand-led Family Health Services, health board capital expenditure, nurse education, research, the Welfare Foods Scheme and a number of other health services.

Hearing

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who currently serves on the working group looking at hearing services and what the group’s remit is.

Susan Deacon: Current membership of the working group follows:

  Dr P Craig, Chief Scientist Office, Scottish Executive

  Mrs C De Placido, Fife Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  Mr S Eales, Scottish Executive Health Department

  Professor Stuart Gatehouse, Medical Research Council, Institute of Hearing Research

  Mr F Lauder, Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  Mr G McHardy, Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust

  Mrs M Milligan, Scottish Healthcare Supplies, Common Services Agency.

  The working group was established to look at adult hearing aid fittings and services in Scotland. The group invited a team of experts to prepare guidance for the benefit of NHSScotland. The guidance is likely to contain a set of statements and recommendations for good practice in hearing aid fittings and services and will be presented to ministers for approval shortly.

Homelessness

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the recent Hard Evidence report by Edinburgh Streetworkers and Shelter Scotland, it will review the working of the Rough Sleepers Initiative in Edinburgh.

Jackie Baillie: Projects in Edinburgh funded under the RSI include the provision of integrated housing, social work and health services at the Single Access Point; a wet hostel providing accommodation and support for rough sleepers with alcohol problems; the Cowgate day and night centre; direct access provision; supported move-on accommodation, some with intense support for drug users, and resettlement and outreach services provided through the council, the Edinburgh Streetwork Project and the Homeless Outreach Project. The council is working with its partners to tackle difficulties in developing direct access provision. The Executive is keeping in close touch with the situation and shares the desire of local partners to ensure that these difficulties are overcome as soon as possible.

Honours

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nominations it has submitted in relation to each Honours list issued since May 1999.

Henry McLeish: Honours are awarded by The Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister. Details of the process by which Honours nominations are processed and considered are not disclosed.

Housing

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that there is an increase in the availability of affordable rented accommodation.

Jackie Baillie: Last month we announced an increase in our target for the number of affordable houses to be built in the three years to March 2002. We will now fund the construction of 20,000 new and improved homes in rural and urban areas across Scotland. We are well on track to meet this new commitment.

Justice

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in reviewing the age of criminal responsibility and the Children’s Hearing System in Scotland.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Law Commission are looking at the issue of the age of criminal responsibility as it affects both the criminal justice and children’s hearing systems. The commission will be reporting to the Scottish Ministers towards the end of this year.

Justice

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to resolve any difficulty experienced with regard to the scheduling of cases in the sheriff court, Glasgow, concerning prosecution of parents whose children are absent from school without authorisation.

Mr Jim Wallace: Programming of cases in the sheriff court is a matter for the Sheriff Principal. However, the Scottish Executive has not been made aware of any scheduling difficulties in Glasgow sheriff court in regard to prosecutions of parents whose children are absent from school without authorisation. Such prosecutions are rare and where they do arise will be scheduled by the sheriff court as required.

Local Government Finance

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Highland and Islands Fire Board’s decision to upgrade auxiliary fire-fighters to retained status will be reflected in its grant aided expenditure.

Iain Gray: Grant aided expenditure allocations for 2001-02 to 2003-04 were announced before the board took this decision.

Maternity Services

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the views of pregnant women on maternity services are taken account of.

Susan Deacon: On 2 February I announced the publication of A Framework for Maternity Services in Scotland . This was published following extensive consultation with women and professionals.

  The Executive expects local health boards and NHS Trusts to consult widely when developing strategies for maternity service locally.

Mining

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) fatal and (b) serious injuries have occurred in the open cast and deep mine coal industry in the latest period for which figures are available.

Ms Wendy Alexander: This is a reserved matter. Responsibility for policy on health and safety in the coal industry lies with the Mines Inspectorate, part of the Health and Safety Executive.

Mining

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) fatal and (b) serious injuries have occurred in sand and gravel and hard rock quarries in the latest period for which figures are available.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive does not hold this information as it has no functions in relation to health and safety matters in quarries. This is a reserved matter for which the Factory Inspectorate within the Health and Safety Executive is responsible.

New Deal

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has had from employers’ organisations regarding the New Deal for Disabled People.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Employment Policy is reserved to the UK Government. The New Deal for Disabled People is delivered in Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Executive and other Scottish organisations.

  The Scottish Executive has had no representations made from employers’ organisations about the New Deal for Disabled People.

Parliamentary Questions

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide an answer to question S1W-11706, lodged on 4 December 2000.

Susan Deacon: The question was answered on 8 February.

Poverty

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of children live in the bottom (a) decile, (b) quarter and (c) half of households in terms of household income and what the equivalent figures were in 1997.

Jackie Baillie: : The information is detailed in the table.

  Percentage of Children in Specified Areas of the Income Distribution, Scotland 1996-97 and 1998-99

  

 
 

Bottom Decile 
  

Bottom Quartile 
  

Below Median 
  



1996-97 
  

Before Housing Costs 
  

16% 
  

38% 
  

62% 
  



After Housing Costs 
  

11% 
  

34% 
  

62% 
  



1998-99 
  

Before Housing Costs 
  

14% 
  

33% 
  

59% 
  



After Housing Costs 
  

12% 
  

31% 
  

59% 
  



  Source: DSS Households Below Average Income.

  Notes:

  1. Income is net equivalised household income; equivalisation takes account of the number of individuals living in the household.

  2. Deciles, quartiles and medians are based on the GB distribution of income.

  3. Estimates are based on sample counts, and are therefore subject to sampling variability.

  4. Caution should be exercised in drawing conclusions about changes over time due to the small sample sizes in Scotland.

  5. Figures for the bottom decile should be treated with caution as the bottom decile of reported incomes cannot safely be construed as the bottom decile of living standards.

Poverty

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households had incomes below half of the average household income (a) in 1997 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available.

Jackie Baillie: : Table 1 details the number of households with incomes below 50% mean GB income. Table 2 details similar information for households with income below 60% median GB income – the agreed standard definition used in poverty analysis.

  Table 1 Households with Income below 50% Mean Income, Scotland 1996-97 and 1998-99

  

 
 

% 
  

Number 
  



1996-97 
  

Before Housing Costs 
  

21 
  

450,000 
  


 

After Housing Costs 
  

27 
  

580,000 
  



1998-99 
  

Before Housing Costs 
  

20 
  

440,000 
  


 

After Housing Costs 
  

26 
  

560,000 
  



  Table 2 Households with Income below 60% Median Income, Scotland 1996-97 and 1998-99

  

 
 

% 
  

Number 
  



1996-97 
  

Before Housing Costs 
  

21 
  

450,000 
  


 

After Housing Costs 
  

27 
  

570,000 
  



1998-99 
  

Before Housing Costs 
  

18 
  

390,000 
  


 

After Housing Costs 
  

24 
  

530,000 
  



  Source: DSS Households Below Average Income.

  Notes:

  1. Income is net equivalised household income; equivalisation takes account of the number of individuals living in the household.

  2. Thresholds are based on GB mean and median income.

  3. Estimates are based on sample counts, and are therefore subject to sampling variability.

  4. Caution should be exercised in drawing conclusions about changes over time due to the small sample sizes in Scotland.

  5. Number of households has been derived by applying the proportion from the HBAI dataset to Scottish Executive estimates of the total number of households in Scotland.

Roads

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage tourism to islands by reviewing the regulations for the provision of signs for island visitor attractions on the mainland trunk road network.

Sarah Boyack: There are no current plans to review the Scottish Executive’s Trunk Road and Motorway Tourist Signposting Policy.

Roads

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authority snow ploughs travelling on trunk roads are permitted to use snow clearing equipment where the trunk road contractor has not cleared the road.

Sarah Boyack: Responsibility for trunk road snow clearing lies with the new Operating Companies and the Scottish Executive. The use of snow clearing equipment on trunk roads by the local authorities would be acceptable only if agreed in advance by the new companies or the Executive.

Roads

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific guidance it received from its road network managers in connection with the recent tendering exercise for trunk road maintenance.

Sarah Boyack: Road engineers employed in the Network Management and Maintenance Division of the Transport Group advised on the drafting and were responsible for the review of the specification which sets the service standards for the new contract. They were also responsible for the review of tenderers proposals to demonstrate that their inputs would be capable of meeting the specification.

Roads

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what stipulations have been made in the tendering process and contracts for trunk road maintenance to ensure that the provision of high quality traffic information continues.

Sarah Boyack: Traffic information will continue to be collected and analysed through the Scottish Executive’s independent contracts for this work. The support required from the Operating Company for the National Driver Information and Control Systems and traffic counting duties are set out in the specification for the new Operating Company contracts.

Roads

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Miller Civil Engineering Ltd, as a discrete personality in law, has the authority to charge tolls on the A87 in its own right.

Sarah Boyack: Miller Civil Engineering Ltd does not charge tolls on the A87 in its own right nor does it have the authority to do so. As I made clear in my answer to question S1W-10325 on 5 December, the right to collect tolls has been assigned to Skye Bridge Limited while the operation of the bridge is carried out on SBL’s behalf by the joint venture Miller Dywidag.

Rural Affairs

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to farm business diversification projects.

Ross Finnie: I will announce shortly the launch of the Farm Business Development Scheme, applicable to all rural areas outwith the Highlands and Islands. This grant scheme is aimed at farmers and their immediate family members who wish to create new income-generating enterprises, or to expand existing diversified activities, either on-farm or off-farm.

  Similar grant assistance for farmers and crofters in the Highlands and Islands is already available under the Agricultural Business Development Scheme.

Sexual Abuse

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives it is planning to combat sexual violence outwith domestic settings.

Iain Gray: We have put in place a wide range of criminal justice responses to tackle sexual violence including strengthening the sex offenders legislation, and providing resources to put more police on our streets. A White Paper in the spring will outline further proposals for legislation on serious and violent sexual offenders.

Telecommunications

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2815 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 25 January 2001, where the mobile telephone masts and aerials from which it receives income are located.

Mr Sam Galbraith: 1. Edinburgh Castle

  2. Scottish Fire Services Training School, Gullane

  3. South Duntulm Common Grazing, Kilmuir Estate, Skye (two mobile phone masts)

  4. Cnoc Heilla, Bracadale Estate, Skye

  5. Strathy Point Common Grazing, Armadale Estate, Sutherland

  6. Luskentyre Common Grazing, Luskentyre Estate, Harris

  7. Hill of Foudland, Huntly

  8. Gogarbank Farm, five miles west of Edinburgh

Tourism

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is planning to take in light of the statement in the December 2000 Scottish Tourist Forum publication, Report into the Impact of Petrol Prices on Tourism , regarding the impact of high fuel prices on the tourism industry.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: The issue of fuel taxation is a reserved matter. Scottish Ministers will continue to promote the interests of Scotland on the issue of fuel taxation directly with Treasury Ministers, and through the Scotland Office.

Water

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what regulations are in place to govern the release of sewage effluent into the River Clyde by West of Scotland Water.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Legislation governing the discharge of sewage effluent to controlled waters (including the River Clyde) includes the Control of Pollution Act 1974 (as amended) and the Urban Waste Water Treatment (Scotland) Regulations 1994.

Water

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the residents of Biggar were refused access to the research conducted in the area by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency last year in connection with the application by West of Scotland Water to release effluent into the River Clyde.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency advises that at no time did it refuse access to any environmental information in connection with the proposed discharge.

Water

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12531 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 30 January 2001, what the timetable is for consultation on revisions in the private water supply regulations.

Mr Sam Galbraith: An initial consultation document on the revisions to private water supplies is planned for the spring.

Young People

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that the work undertaken by the Aberlour Trust and others to rehabilitate young people with behavioural difficulties is continued after the age of 16.

Nicol Stephen: Projects managed by Aberlour Trust or other voluntary organisations are normally operated in conjunction with the relevant local authority. The extension or coverage of such projects are therefore matters for local decision and there is nothing to prevent them continuing after 16.